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Delicious Butternut Pasta

Who doesn’t love the sweet, nutty taste of butternut squash? Oven roasted, pureed, or spiralized you can’t beat the taste of this sweet treat. An added bonus is the strong nutritional profile. One cup of cubed squash supplies us with tons of vitamins A and C, and a healthy dose of Magnesium, Vitamin B-6 and calcium too.

This little twist on the traditional pasta dish is delicious and nutritious!

Ingredients

1-2 Butternut squash. Look for long, even squash. The big bulbous part can’t be used here. (see photo below)

1/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti

Red Sauce

1 twenty-eight-ounce can crushed tomatoes (Cento)

1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

3/4 cup raw cashews

3/4 teaspoon nutritional yeast

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Make The Sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in small pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute until golden but not burnt.

Turn heat down and carefully add tomatoes to pot. Stir to combine the salt, pepper, basil, oregano and sugar.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Vegan Cheese

Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix until a fine meal is achieved. Store in fridge to keep fresh for several weeks.

Prepare and Cook the Squash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash. Cut the bottom round section off and save for another recipe (soup or roasted squash). Then cut the remaining large piece in half to make spiralizing easier. Here’s a great video with tips to help make the process easier.

Spread the squash noodles in a single layer on 1 or 2 large baking sheets. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place squash in the oven for about 10 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven.

Cook The Whole Wheat Pasta

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes but check for doneness at 8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Add the squash noodles to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine.

Divide pasta mixture evenly among plates. Top with desired amount of sauce and sprinkle with “cheese.” Enjoy!